Packers DE Jerel Worthy and S Sean Richardson, who have been on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list since the start of training camp, practiced for the first time this season on Wednesday.

DE Jerel Worthy

For both players, returning to practice starts a three-week window during which they can practice without counting against the 53-man roster. After three weeks, they will have to be put on the active roster, declared out for the season or released.

“They’re excited,” said Mike McCarthy, acknowledging both players felt ready to return sooner. “We just have to go through these couple weeks and make sure they’re right. This is clearly a medical hurdle both these guys can get over, and they were good young players the last time they were on the field for us. I’m hopeful we can get through this process.”

Worthy, a second-round draft pick in 2012, injured his knee in Week 17 at Minnesota last season. McCarthy joked that he knew Worthy, who was practicing on the scout team, was back because he jumped offside a couple of times. Worthy always tries to get a jump on the snap count and was too early several times as a rookie.

“I had one (offside),” Worthy laughed, “but I’m just trying to get back in the rhythm of my game. My knee felt strong and my get-off and everything was there. I just have to get my footwork down. As far as moving around and running, I felt better than I did last year.”

Richardson, an undrafted rookie last year, injured his neck in Week 12 last season in the road game against the Giants and needed spinal fusion surgery to repair it. There was concern he might not get medical clearance to play again, but he’s grateful for whatever opportunity he may have to help the Packers by season’s end.

“It’s been a long journey,” Richardson said. “If I get the green light, I’ll be ready. I definitely will.”

Two of last year’s rookies who ended the season on injured reserve, DE Jerel Worthy and S Sean Richardson, both plan to be back in 2013 but there is no timetable on either player.

Worthy (pictured) is likely to be out the longest, having injured his knee in the final regular-season game at Minnesota last season. Though it’s possible Worthy could miss his entire second season if his recovery takes a full 12 months, he vowed to be back sometime in 2013.

“I haven’t had any setbacks to this point,” said Worthy, a second-round draft pick who had 2 1/2 sacks and one forced fumble last season. “It’s all been positive coming from this corner, so I just want to stay on this path.”

Richardson, meanwhile, is aiming to be back for training camp in late July but wasn’t making any promises. He is coming back from surgery to repair a herniated disc in his neck.

After making the roster as an undrafted rookie last year, Richardson first missed time with a hamstring injury, then played in five games (mostly on special teams) before beginning to have back problems. That led to the discovery of the neck issue, which required surgery. It was performed by the same doctor who fixed Denver QB Peyton Manning’s neck, he said.

The surgery wasn’t as complicated as initially thought, Richardson added, so his recovery has been fairly smooth. Without getting into specifics, he said the medical staff has given him five hurdles he must clear to get back on the field, and he’s currently working on step four.

He hopes to clear the final two hurdles in time for training camp, so he can begin competing with Jerron McMillian and M.D. Jennings for the starting safety spot opposite Morgan Burnett.

“I’ll be back soon. I’m pretty close,” he said. “It’s been a long journey.”

The Packers’ offensive line got some reinforcements at practice on Friday, as G/T T.J. Lang (concussion) and C Jeff Saturday (neck/shoulder) returned to practice, though it appeared during the portion of the workout open to the media that Saturday was very limited.

DE Jerel Worthy (hamstring) also returned to practice after missing the workouts on both Wednesday and Thursday this week.

RB Alex Green (concussion) remained out, as did TE Tom Crabtree (hamstring), WR Jordy Nelson (hamstring) and DE C.J. Wilson (knee). FB John Kuhn, who missed practice on Thursday but was listed as “not injury related” was also absent again.

Mike McCarthy will address the media after practice and provide the final status designations on the injury report for Sunday.

A lot has been said already about second-round draft pick Jerel Worthy and fourth-rounder Mike Daniels and what they could mean to the Packers’ defensive line in 2012.

Both players have flashed in practice, but there has yet to be much to shout about during the preseason games. They’re hoping to change that Thursday in Cincinnati, obviously, and veteran D-lineman B.J. Raji believes it should only be a matter of time, because both youngsters entered the NFL with the right approach.

“The thing I like about them, I see a lot of myself in them,” Raji said. “Jerel was a high pick, but he was willing to learn. He didn’t come in with the idea that he knew everything. He came in asking questions. Mike’s the same way.

“Anytime a guy comes in asking questions, you really don’t hesitate to help them, because they see the need, that they need to improve. They need to do certain things to be successful. Both of those guys are competitive, they want to win, and they want to do everything they can to help this defense.”

Raji added that there will be some tough decisions at cutdown time for the roster within his position group.

“This is probably the youngest and deepest D-line I’ve been a part of since I’ve been here,” he said. “This is the game where you want to come out and show you can play within this defense.”

Rookie DL Jerel Worthy, drafted in the second round from Michigan State, said Friday night that when he headed out onto Lambeau Field for the Family Night scrimmage, it was his first time heading down the tunnel to the field. He had intentionally not done so previously so he could savor the moment.

“I tried to save it for as long as possible, and I kind of got a little emotional being out there, like my dream is finally coming true,” Worthy said. “I’m just excited to be here.”

Worthy made one notable play in the scrimmage, stuffing RB Du’ane Bennett for a 5-yard loss when he charged across the line of scrimmage unblocked. The play helped the No. 1 defense hold the No. 2 offense to a field goal on what had been a promising drive.

“My guard pulled, and I got a good jump on the ball,” Worthy said of the play, which was typical of the disruptive plays he made in college. “As soon as he pulled and vacated my area, I just came off the back side and came wide open. Hopefully I can get as many plays like that as possible.”

Packers second-round draft pick Jerel Worthy attracted attention and criticism for a comment he made at Michigan State about needing to take plays off once in a while. Worthy took no plays off in Friday morning’s practice. The defensive lineman was the high-energy player of practice, which was forced indoors by rain.

Worthy chased after receivers following completions. His voice could be heard celebrating defensive stops and his motor never stopped. Worthy was all over the field and finished a couple of plays on the turf in a tangle of players he created.

Most notably, it appears Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers might have had his two-down lineman nickel defense in mind when Worthy was selected with the 51st overall pick of the 2012 draft. Worthy and B.J. Raji are the two down linemen in the Packers’ nickel defense, and it’s a role Worthy appears to relish. He was a chase tackle at Michigan State and he appears to be reveling in the space he has to operate in Capers’ nickel, which is clearly in Capers’ plans for this season.

Also in Friday’s practice:

…It’s becoming obvious the Packers have a creative role in mind for second-year wide receiver Randall Cobb.

…Backup quarterback Graham Harrell threw arguably the most impressive completion of the morning, a deep out to Cobb, who caught the ball and turned up field to pull away from rookie safety Jerron McMillian, whose coverage on the play was tight.

…Safety M.D. Jennings made an interception off a deflection.

…Quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ signature pass might be the back-shoulder throw, and he tossed a beauty of one to Jordy Nelson along the right sideline. Unfortunately, Nelson dropped the pass.

…Undrafted free agent linebacker Dezman Moses appears to be competing for more than a roster spot. He appears to be competing for playing time.

…First-year safety Anthony Levine broke impressively on a pass along the sideline and nearly made an interception.

The Packers addressed their need for a young defensive end by targeting, trading up and selecting Michigan State’s Jerel Worthy in the second round of Friday’s NFL Draft. Worthy, 6-2, 308, was ranked by several draft services as a potential first-round pick. The Packers selected him with the 19th pick of the second round, following a trade with the Eagles.

The Packers surrendered their fourth-round pick, No 123 overall, to the Eagles to move up eight slots from 59 to 51 and nab Worthy.

Worthy became the second consecutive defensive player picked by the Packers in this draft. The Packers, of course, are trying to repair a defense that finished last in the league in 2011.

Worthy started 38 games in three seasons for the Spartans, all at left defensive tackle. He recorded 12 sacks and 27 1/2 tackles for loss. He was a first-team All-America selection by a number of publications last season, the first MSU defensive lineman to be named first-team All-America by The Associated Press since “Bubba” Smith in 1966.

A native of Dayton, Ohio, Worthy most likely projects as a defensive end in the Packers’ 3-4 defensive scheme.

We’re approaching pick 50, so the Packers at 59 are only 10 slots away. Wisconsin C Peter Konz is still on the board, thought to be the only center with a first-round grade in this draft. It was thought he’d be long gone by now.

On the defensive side, linemen Devon Still of Penn State, Jerel Worthy of Michigan State and Kendall Reyes of UConn are all still on the board as well. Looks like a really good player could fall to the Packers at 59.

Update: There goes Reyes. The Chargers took Reyes at 49. He might have been a good fit on the D-line for the Packers, but so it goes.